Is Blofeld really the best Bond villain ever?

MilleniumForceMilleniumForce LondonPosts: 1,214MI6 Agent
He's the Bond villain everybody knows (helped a lot by Dr Evil), and he's easily the most iconic Bond villain of all time. He's the only villai who has had a major hand in multiple films, being somehow behind the plot to eight official and unofficial Bond films, and is ranked highly on many people's villains list. But, is he really that good of a villain?

Firstly, despite appearing in many different incarnations, only one is really well known (until Spectre). If you ask any casual viewer who Blofeld is, they'd describe Donald Pleasence. Because that's probably the only incarnation they know. I bet a lot of people would be stumped if they discovered he also featured in FRWL and TB, and many probably wouldn't even know that he was the villain in DAF, despite the fact it's one of the most well known Bond films (although mostly down to the theme song and the fact it's Connery's last official appearance).

Secondly, whilst iconic, he's little more than a cliche world domination villain. I don't know if he was ever explored further in the books, but in the films, he has very little motivation behind his actions. This works well enough when SPECTRE was more prominent than Blofeld himself, but in OHMSS and DAF, it's just a bit weird.

Thirdly, the villain plots in his films aren't too evil, or nothing much really gets done. Blofeld, considered the best Bond villain ever, has done very little in his time. In later films we see villains actually do evil things, such as Carver actually sinking a warship, or Zorin actually gunning down his own men. But Blofled has achieved very little of his schemes, and there never feels like there is any real threat to Bond from Blofeld.

Finally. The big misconception. Blofeld didn't kill Tracy. It was Irma. Even if Blofeld ordered Irma to kill her, it was Irma that took the shot. If we use that logic, then M is the true hero of these movies because he/she orders Bond to investigate and stop the villain. And anyway, it's highly unlikely that Blofled would want to kill Tracy and keep Bond alive.

Anyway, it's just my opinion that Blofeld is a pretty weak villain, despite being iconic. I'd be interested to hear of anyone els shares this opinion.
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Comments

  • Gassy ManGassy Man USAPosts: 2,972MI6 Agent
    He is. The only other villain that comes close is Goldfinger.
  • MarcAngeDracoMarcAngeDraco Piz GloriaPosts: 564MI6 Agent
    Blofeld worked well in SPECTRE? As in the film? We must have watched different films because the film parodied itself in the one I watched.

    There's no right or wrong in a topic like this. It's all a matter of perspective. -{
    Film: Tomorrow Never Dies | Girl: Teresa di Vicenzo | Villain: Max Zorin | Car: Aston Martin Volante | Novel: You Only Live Twice | Bond: Sir Sean Connery
  • walther p99walther p99 NJPosts: 3,416MI6 Agent
    Blofeld worked well in SPECTRE? As in the film? We must have watched different films because the film parodied itself in the one I watched.

    There's no right or wrong in a topic like this. It's all a matter of perspective. -{
    Waltz's Blofeld was one of the weakest villains in the series. Especially following Silva, one of the best in the series. I never really like Blofeld as a villain in any interpretation, as you said he's a very cliché world domination villain.
  • heartbroken_mr_draxheartbroken_mr_drax New Zealand Posts: 2,073MI6 Agent
    I never really like Blofeld as a villain in any interpretation, as you said he's a very cliché world domination villain.

    Agreed. Blofeld hasn't really excited me as a villain in any of the films. OHMSS would probably be my favourite of the lot because Blofeld isn't as cliche as the other films.

    Goldfinger is the best villain by a mile - "Oh, nothing, Mr. Bond... I own the club."
    1. TWINE 2. FYEO 3. MR 4. TLD 5. TSWLM 6. OHMSS 7. DN 8. OP 9. AVTAK 10. TMWTGG 11. QoS 12. GE 13. CR 14. TB 15. FRWL 16. TND 17. LTK 18. GF 19. SF 20. LaLD 21. YOLT 22. NTTD 23. DAD 24. DAF. 25. SP

    "Better make that two."
  • JarvioJarvio EnglandPosts: 4,234MI6 Agent
    Depends what Blofeld for me.

    I really liked Blofeld in OHMSS, and contrary to popular belief, SP.

    DAF Blofeld was ok too, I just don't think he's as bad as many make out.

    Then there's the mysterious FRWL/TB Blofeld that works well.

    But YOLT Blofeld? Very weak IMO.
    1 - LALD, 2 - AVTAK, 3 - LTK, 4 - OP, 5 - NTTD, 6 - FYEO, 7 - SF, 8 - DN, 9 - DAF, 10 - TSWLM, 11 - OHMSS, 12 - TMWTGG, 13 - GE, 14 - MR, 15 - TLD, 16 - YOLT, 17 - GF, 18 - DAD, 19 - TWINE, 20 - SP, 21 - TND, 22 - FRWL, 23 - TB, 24 - CR, 25 - QOS

    1 - Moore, 2 - Dalton, 3 - Craig, 4 - Connery, 5 - Brosnan, 6 - Lazenby
  • zaphod99zaphod99 Posts: 1,415MI6 Agent
    Blofeld worked well in SPECTRE? As in the film? We must have watched different films because the film parodied itself in the one I watched.

    There's no right or wrong in a topic like this. It's all a matter of perspective. -{
    Waltz's Blofeld was one of the weakest villains in the series. Especially following Silva, one of the best in the series. I never really like Blofeld as a villain in any interpretation, as you said he's a very cliché world domination villain.

    The Craig era has had both two very good villains (Le Chiffre and Silva ) and two very weak ones. For me the films with the better nemeseses are the better Bond films.
    Of that of which we cannot speak we must pass over in silence- Ludwig Wittgenstein.
  • MarcAngeDracoMarcAngeDraco Piz GloriaPosts: 564MI6 Agent
    I thought Dominic Greene was excellent. Had more personality than CR06's Le Chiffre.
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  • Matt SMatt S Oh Cult Voodoo ShopPosts: 6,596MI6 Agent
    I thought Dominic Greene was excellent. Had more personality than CR06's Le Chiffre.

    I agree that Greene had more personality than Mikkelsen's Le Chiffre, though I didn't find either of them so strong. Silva is by far the strongest of the villains in Craig's films.
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  • The Wicker ManThe Wicker Man EnglandPosts: 434MI6 Agent
    Not sure I would describe Blofeld as the best villain (my vote goes to Goldfinger) but he is certainly the most iconic. I still prefer Blofeld from FRWL or TB when the character had genuine menace.
    1.ohmss 2.cr 3.frwl 4.ltk 5.gf 6.tswlm 7.sf 8.op 9.tld 10.dn 11.lald 12.tb 13.fyeo 14.ge 15.mr 16.yolt 17.tnd 18.avtak 19.sp 20.twine 21.qos 22.tmwtgg 23.daf 24.dad
  • walther p99walther p99 NJPosts: 3,416MI6 Agent
    Matt S wrote:
    I thought Dominic Greene was excellent. Had more personality than CR06's Le Chiffre.

    I agree that Greene had more personality than Mikkelsen's Le Chiffre, though I didn't find either of them so strong. Silva is by far the strongest of the villains in Craig's films.
    Agreed, in most cases the greater the villain the greater the film. examples being Star Wars, The Dark Knight, No country for Old men, etc. While Skyfall had a lot of reasons why it was so wildly successful, having one of the best and most enjoyable to watch villains in decades for Bond to face certainly contributed.
  • eric7064eric7064 USAPosts: 343MI6 Agent
    Not the best. But very iconic surely.
  • DutchfingerDutchfinger Holland With LovePosts: 1,240MI6 Agent
    Completely agree with the OP's post! It's the iconic nature and frequent appearance of the character that makes it the default "Bond arch nemesis". I do seem to be in the small majority that thinks Waltz was the best Blofeld so far though. He wasn't particularly good in the role, but neither were any of the actors who played him in the past. I do really hope he returns to repraise his role. Would be great to have an actor finally play Blofeld twice for a change!
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  • Matt SMatt S Oh Cult Voodoo ShopPosts: 6,596MI6 Agent
    Would be great to have an actor finally play Blofeld twice for a change!

    Anthony Dawson already did! I think his Blofeld is by far the best.
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  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    I had high hopes for Waltz, and in the main he delivered. A brilliant Spectre meeting, a great torture scene, the
    Occasional glimpse of a deranged mind -{ , but I still think Telly Savalas was my favourite Blofeld.
    Although never say never, perhaps on a second outing Waltz might get even better ! :)
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  • superadosuperado Regent's Park West (CaliforniaPosts: 2,651MI6 Agent
    Who's the best villain? It depends on criteria. If scope of a villain's plot is considered, Drax and Stromberg take credit as "best" because the immediate effects of their plans is the eradication of civilization, whereas some of the other plots would maybe eventually lead to that (YOLT) or to a limited but devastating global conflict (OP, TND).

    Another criteria is a villain's overall package in terms of character and qualities that just makes him or her a formidable opponent to Bond, or someone who's just plain nasty. This could be subjective among fans, but I for one would even include henchmen like Grant and Fiona Volpe. For "main" villains, I'd consider Le Chiffre or Graves for the venom they've especially reserved for Bond. In terms of muted gravitas, I consider Drax and Kamal Khan among "the best," though as I said, it's subjective.

    On the other hand if value is based on reach, depth or significance, then yes, it would be Blofeld. However, pre and post-reboot must be considered because in the DC era, by means of how SP was written Blofeld suddenly became the progenitor of all the evil committed since CR, which I think is no different from the cheap plot ploys used for TV dramas and soap operas. In contrast, SPECTRE/Blofeld has been involved in the plots of most of the Connery films and it was taken to a personal level of course in OHMSS. This mirrors (esp. Blofeld's role in Tracy's death) the significance of Blofeld in print that spans 3 of Fleming's books, climaxing with probably the most satisfying death in the canon. So, yes, based on this criteria Blofeld is the best Bond villain ever.
    "...the purposeful slant of his striding figure looked dangerous, as if he was making quickly for something bad that was happening further down the street." -SMERSH on 007 dossier photo, Ch. 6 FRWL.....
  • Miles MesservyMiles Messervy Posts: 1,757MI6 Agent
    I've always preferred the Telly Savalas version of Blofeld. I think he got it right in terms of grounding the character in reality (he basically just wants immunity from prior bad acts), but being just over-the-top enough that he's obviously a Bond villain.

    Alec Trevelyan was also an interesting villain. Silvia certainly borrowed quite a bit from him.
  • welshguy34welshguy34 Posts: 219MI6 Agent
    Yes he is, but I do prefer the Blofeld of FRWL and Thunderball. Very menacing.
  • walther p99walther p99 NJPosts: 3,416MI6 Agent
    I've always preferred the Telly Savalas version of Blofeld. I think he got it right in terms of grounding the character in reality (he basically just wants immunity from prior bad acts), but being just over-the-top enough that he's obviously a Bond villain.

    Alec Trevelyan was also an interesting villain. Silvia certainly borrowed quite a bit from him.
    Silva also borrowed a lot from The Dark Knight's Joker. His plan to get caught, his long hair and coats, outlandish menace and mannerisms. Pretty smart move considering Ledger's Joker is one of the greatest cinematic villains of all time.
  • heartbroken_mr_draxheartbroken_mr_drax New Zealand Posts: 2,073MI6 Agent
    superado wrote:
    In terms of muted gravitas, I consider Drax and Kamal Khan among "the best," though as I said, it's subjective.

    Spend the money quickly, Mr. Bond. -{
    1. TWINE 2. FYEO 3. MR 4. TLD 5. TSWLM 6. OHMSS 7. DN 8. OP 9. AVTAK 10. TMWTGG 11. QoS 12. GE 13. CR 14. TB 15. FRWL 16. TND 17. LTK 18. GF 19. SF 20. LaLD 21. YOLT 22. NTTD 23. DAD 24. DAF. 25. SP

    "Better make that two."
  • superadosuperado Regent's Park West (CaliforniaPosts: 2,651MI6 Agent
    superado wrote:
    In terms of muted gravitas, I consider Drax and Kamal Khan among "the best," though as I said, it's subjective.

    Spend the money quickly, Mr. Bond. -{

    -{
    "...the purposeful slant of his striding figure looked dangerous, as if he was making quickly for something bad that was happening further down the street." -SMERSH on 007 dossier photo, Ch. 6 FRWL.....
  • heartbroken_mr_draxheartbroken_mr_drax New Zealand Posts: 2,073MI6 Agent
    superado wrote:
    superado wrote:
    In terms of muted gravitas, I consider Drax and Kamal Khan among "the best," though as I said, it's subjective.

    Spend the money quickly, Mr. Bond. -{

    -{

    Christopher Wood wrote Drax with such verbose panache and it brilliantly matches Lonsdale's muted performance. He's like a non-childish, non-attention seeking Carver who is just quietly and secretly going on with the most horrible villain plots of them all. Both Bond and Drax (initially of course) play the roles with such quiet disdain for each other not to show too much hand. If they do, neither reaction is over-the-top - taking the gas masks and pheasant shooting as examples...
    1. TWINE 2. FYEO 3. MR 4. TLD 5. TSWLM 6. OHMSS 7. DN 8. OP 9. AVTAK 10. TMWTGG 11. QoS 12. GE 13. CR 14. TB 15. FRWL 16. TND 17. LTK 18. GF 19. SF 20. LaLD 21. YOLT 22. NTTD 23. DAD 24. DAF. 25. SP

    "Better make that two."
  • Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,644MI6 Agent
    edited November 2016
    Not sure I would describe Blofeld as the best villain (my vote goes to Goldfinger) but he is certainly the most iconic. I still prefer Blofeld from FRWL or TB when the character had genuine menace.

    Yes, there was the fear of the unknown there. Ironic that the film Blofeld seemed to lose some of his menace when we actually saw him on screen. The imagination goes into overdrive I suppose.
    Jarvio wrote:
    Depends what Blofeld for me.

    I really liked Blofeld in OHMSS, and contrary to popular belief, SP.

    DAF Blofeld was ok too, I just don't think he's as bad as many make out.

    Then there's the mysterious FRWL/TB Blofeld that works well.

    But YOLT Blofeld? Very weak IMO.

    That would more or less be my take on things too, Jarvio. :) -{
    "The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
  • hehadlotsofgutshehadlotsofguts Durham England Posts: 2,107MI6 Agent
    superado wrote:

    Spend the money quickly, Mr. Bond. -{

    -{

    Christopher Wood wrote Drax with such verbose panache and it brilliantly matches Lonsdale's muted performance. He's like a non-childish, non-attention seeking Carver who is just quietly and secretly going on with the most horrible villain plots of them all. Both Bond and Drax (initially of course) play the roles with such quiet disdain for each other not to show too much hand. If they do, neither reaction is over-the-top - taking the gas masks and pheasant shooting as examples...


    I like how Drax is unnervingly calm throughout the film. Every time he's thwarted by Bond, he doesn't raise his voice, but he seethes with bubbling rage. It's only when he tells Jaws to put Bond and Goodhead in the airlock, Jaws doesn't move and Drax explodes with the pent-up rage, that has built up in him.

    Back on topic, Blofeld isn't the best villain ever, but i like some portrayals, more than others.
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  • WadsyWadsy Auckland, New ZealandPosts: 410MI6 Agent
    Not exactly. Blofeld is amazing on On Her Majesty's Secret Service with Tally Savalas's great portrayal. You Only Live Twice was just a very forgettable and poor Bond film and despite Donald's excellent performance, it just doesn't hold up. My picks for top three villains are Auric Goldfinger, Max Zorin and Franz Sanchez.
    1. FYEO 2. OHMSS 3. LTK 4. FRWL 5. TLD 6. TSWLM 7. GF 8. AVTAK 9. MR 10. DN 11. SF 12. LALD 13. TB 14. OP 15. CR 16. GE 17. YOLT 18. TMWTGG 19. SP 20. TND 21. TWINE 22. QOS 23. NTTD 24. DAF 25. DAD 26. NSNA 27. CR '67

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  • hehadlotsofgutshehadlotsofguts Durham England Posts: 2,107MI6 Agent
    Wadsy wrote:
    Not exactly. Blofeld is amazing on On Her Majesty's Secret Service with Tally Savalas's great portrayal. You Only Live Twice was just a very forgettable and poor Bond film and despite Donald's excellent performance, it just doesn't hold up. My picks for top three villains are Auric Goldfinger, Max Zorin and Franz Sanchez.

    Telly was the best portrayal. Smooth, refined and not afraid to get his hands dirty. Pleasence's portrayal is akin to a child having a tantrum when he doesn't get his own way.
    Have you ever heard of the Emancipation Proclamation?"

    " I don't listen to hip hop!"
  • walther p99walther p99 NJPosts: 3,416MI6 Agent
    Wadsy wrote:
    Not exactly. Blofeld is amazing on On Her Majesty's Secret Service with Tally Savalas's great portrayal. You Only Live Twice was just a very forgettable and poor Bond film and despite Donald's excellent performance, it just doesn't hold up. My picks for top three villains are Auric Goldfinger, Max Zorin and Franz Sanchez.

    Telly was the best portrayal. Smooth, refined and not afraid to get his hands dirty. Pleasence's portrayal is akin to a child having a tantrum when he doesn't get his own way.
    Absolutely nailed it, though like I said I consider Blofeld a pretty weak villain in the Bond canon. If I had to chose my preferred interpretation it would be the FRWL/TB first followed by Telly. I think Pleasance and Waltz, while both fine actors, made Blofeld extremely non-threating, boring, and cliché. Not to mention Waltz's Blofeld entire motivation in SP was pretty laughable.
  • Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,644MI6 Agent
    Wadsy wrote:
    Not exactly. Blofeld is amazing on On Her Majesty's Secret Service with Tally Savalas's great portrayal. You Only Live Twice was just a very forgettable and poor Bond film and despite Donald's excellent performance, it just doesn't hold up. My picks for top three villains are Auric Goldfinger, Max Zorin and Franz Sanchez.

    Telly was the best portrayal. Smooth, refined and not afraid to get his hands dirty. Pleasence's portrayal is akin to a child having a tantrum when he doesn't get his own way.

    Very much agreed on that. Telly Savalas is the best Blofeld of them all by a country mile but that was due in no small part to the faithfulness of the OHMSS film to its Fleming source novel. It helps that Savalas is a great actor, too. -{

    Pleasance's Blofeld is a lightweight in comparison, a stereotypical villain in comparison and since discredited further by comparisons with Dr Evil from the Austin Powers films.
    "The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
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